Description:
<jats:p>Strain S658<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> was isolated from a <jats:italic>Lotus corniculatus</jats:italic> nodule in a soil sample obtained in Uruguay. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and <jats:italic>atpD</jats:italic> gene showed that this strain clustered within the genus <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="genus" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.1399" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Phyllobacterium</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content>
<jats:italic>.</jats:italic> The closest related species was, in both cases, <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="species" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.9626" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Phyllobacterium trifolii</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content> PETP02<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> with 99.8 % sequence similarity in the 16S rRNA gene and 96.1 % in the <jats:italic>atpD</jats:italic> gene. The 16S rRNA gene contains an insert at the beginning of the sequence that has no similarities with other inserts present in the same gene in described rhizobial species. Ubiquinone Q-10 was the only quinone detected. Strain S658<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> differed from its closest relatives through its growth in diverse culture conditions and in the assimilation of several carbon sources. It was not able to reproduce nodules in <jats:italic>Lotus corniculatus.</jats:italic> The results of DNA–DNA hybridization, phenotypic tests and fatty acid analyses confirmed that this strain should be classified as a representative of a novel species of the genus <jats:named-content xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" content-type="genus" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1601/nm.1399" xlink:type="simple">
<jats:italic>Phyllobacterium</jats:italic>
</jats:ext-link>
</jats:named-content>, for which the name <jats:italic>Phyllobacterium loti</jats:italic> sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is S658<jats:sup>T</jats:sup>( = LMG 27289<jats:sup>T</jats:sup> = CECT 8230<jats:sup>T</jats:sup>).</jats:p>